1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automated document management systems, and more particularly to a method and a system for providing automatic payment for making copies of copyrighted material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computing methods enable documents to be copied rapidly and with minimal oversight. Among the modern devices which have enabled the proliferation of documents is the copy machine. Often copies are made of copyrighted material without appropriate compensation being made to the owner of the copyright. Failure to pay copyright license fees is, in part, caused by the difficulty in the copying person knowing how to pay and where to direct the monies. In a corporation, this unauthorized copying becomes a significant concern because the company is liable for the actions of its employees. In order to control unauthorized copying, some companies require their employees to order preprints from the publisher, or to negotiate a direct arrangement with the copyright holder for the right to make a predetermined number of copies. This activity involves a time lag between when the data is desired and when the information is available. In actual practice, the article is typically copied on an office copy machine without authorization. This unauthorized copying would not provide the copyright holder with any payment for the copy of his copyrighted work, subjects the employer to potential liability, and in the case of documents with detailed graphics (vector and raster), results in an inferior copy being made as compared to the original document.